[C320-list] Leak on New 320 Mk11.

[jim brown]

Also check around the rudder post and post packing. 

--- On Sun, 4/11/10, sail0983 <sail0983 at aol.com> wrote:

From: sail0983 <sail0983 at aol.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Leak on New 320 Mk11.
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com, C320-List at Catalina320.com
Date: Sunday, April 11, 2010, 8:01 AM

Check the cap on the port side "Vent Loop" that is accessible through the port cockpit locker. When my boat was new that cap was not secure and ended up with a water in the aft cabin.

Dave Marchant
Illumination #983
Solomons, Md
On Apr 11, 2010, at 4:57:51 AM, "Stephen Cox" <scox at timmin.com> wrote:
From:   "Stephen Cox" <scox at timmin.com>
Subject:    Re: [C320-list] Leak on New 320 Mk11.
Date:   April 11, 2010 4:57:51 AM EDT
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Hi all,
> I have had a water leak appearing in the bilge since new on 
> hull no.1162.
> It appears to be salt water and appears even when the boat 
> has been tied up at the marina for a few days with no rain. 
> (definitely not rain water) Have put food dye in both water 
> tanks , and water in the bilge is clear so have eliminated 
> fresh water.
> The water is first spotted under the aft. floor section 
> where the water tank valves are located .It then appears to 
> make its way to the 2 forward sections of the bilge.
> Initially after 3-5 days it used to only cover the keel bolts 
> but recently has got worse ,now covers 90% of bilge height 
> after 1 week.
> Have had to turn on auto bilge pump.
> Water also comes in with sea cocks off. (except engine) Cant 
> see a water path from engine bay or stern land to that 
> section where the water appears.
> The Catalina Agent has had a couple of shipwrights have a 
> look ,and they fixed other leaks which were there( rainwater 
> related),but this main leak is still there.
> It has been 12 months now and am seriously considering asking 
> Catalina to take the boat back if they cannot find/fix the leak.
> 
> Anyone got any ideas?
> 

David,

Water from the stern gland area will flow down past the freshwater valves to
the bilge, even if you can't quite see how.

My Mk II has always had water issues from the stern gland. I had it
adjusted a couple of times after purchase by the dealer but it still
proceeded to let in water for a few days after running the motor. I have
tweaked it myself on several occasions and this summer on haulout I tried
replacing the packing and doubling it up, but the extra ring was too much
and I couldn't get the gland screwed back on with enough thread engagement
without all but locking up the shaft. IMHO one turn of packing is not
enough. So for now I put up with it dripping for some time after running
the engine. Next haul out I hope to put a dripless seal in to get around
this and finally, hopefully, have a dry bilge.

I have a BEP Power Monitor which will monitor current usage on one battery
and voltage on up to three. Alternately, the third battery voltage can be
flipped to keep track of the bilge pump usage. This reports the number of
times the bilge pump has run and the total run time since the count was last
reset - very reassuring when you think you have leakage issues.

BTW, I think you are very brave to not have your automatic bilge pump
switched on at all times. I live two hours away from my boat and wouldn't
like to drive that far after a call from the marina without knowing
something was trying to keep the boat afloat. By the way, the obvious fuse
on the control panel for the bilge pump doesn't do anything, at least on my
boat, as that fuse is switched by the 1-2-both switch. As it came, there is
a line fuse behind the electrical panel and the bilge pump is wired
effectively direct to battery one, independent of the 1-2-both switch. It's
a glass fuse not a two pronged spade type - you might want to get some
spares. I swapped mine out for the common fuse type on the boat so I had
plenty of others to use if needs be. 

Stephen Cox
Canberra AUSTRALIA
Tegwen #1141